Summary
Originally Published: 2020-02-16
This week was simply a race to beat the cold. We had the coldest two days of the year with temperatures dipping to a windchill factor of -35 C. A couple of updates on the recent issue with the charge controller. Spent some time with the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) group. Finally the sun has changed its orientation enough that my batteries are getting fully charged everyday now.
Beating the Cold
My wife and I rushed and split the dead tree we cut down so that gave use the needed extra wood to get through the winter. We managed to get this done and four loads of wood hauled indoors literally hours before the temperature went down.
The wind howled and blew and I burned through a lot of wood in an effort to keep the place warm while minimizing the use of the propane for heat. With 2 days that had highs around -15 C I stayed in a lot and kept the fire going strong. Our home is actually a trailer and my wife was able to find where the drafts were coming from. We used fabric “snakes” to lay around the edges and it worked very well and kept us much warmer.
Charge Controller Update
The charge controller that went down was made by a company called “Go Power” and my understanding is that they are one of the best in the country. I simply started a web chat with an agent, described the issue and after some basic trouble shooting he sent me an email link to send my shipping address to. Within about 2 business days I received the replacement unit! Fast, friendly and excellent service and when you live off-grid you need that type of service.
ARES
As a HAM radio operator one of the things that I’ve wanted to do for a long time is offer my help with communications in emergency situations. I have met up with the Amateur Radio Emergency Service group in my area and am meeting them every Wednesday on the air for the “NET”. Hopefully there will never be a real emergency that requires being called in to help but it is nice to be part of a group that can.
Sunny Days!
The 1.5 hour longer days combined with the sun being higher in the sky has resulted in me having full batteries nearly everyday this week. So hopefully I won’t need the generator again until December 2020.
Have a great week everyone!